#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-09-09

Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute announces leadership transition

Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute's President and CEO Peter Templeton will step down this autumn to assume the role of interim President and CEO of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). The Board of Directors of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute has named Dr. Christina Raab as the Institute’s new President and CEO upon his departure.

Raab joined the Institute in September 2019 as Vice President, Strategy and Development. In this capacity she has been instrumental in strengthening the Institute’s external profile, strategic partnerships, programmatic offerings and internal capabilities. Raab has worked globally to advance responsible consumption and production practices throughout her career, including leadership roles at forefront sustainability consulting firms and organizations focused on driving circular transformation and sustainable development across global value chains. Raab conducted her PhD research in Materials Chemistry at the University of California Santa Barbara and holds a PhD from the Vienna University of Technology. Raab will lead the Institute from its offices in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Christina Raab as the next president and CEO of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute,” said Gerrit Bruggeman, Institute Board Chair. “Christina’s track record of driving transformative sustainability and circularity practices through leading voluntary global standards, market-based innovation, strategic partnerships and collaborations will ensure that the Institute is strongly positioned to continue its current trajectory of growth and success.”

“I am honored to step into the role of Institute President and CEO,” said Raab. “This is a pivotal moment for the global climate and social agenda, and the Institute has a powerful role to play in establishing Cradle to Cradle Certified as a universally enabling solution for a healthy, equitable and sustainable world powered by products and systems that are safe, circular and responsible. I look forward to continue working alongside the Institute’s board, staff and our global stakeholder community towards our shared vision of a positive future for people and our planet.”

The Institute will also continue to draw upon the expertise of its core technical team under the leadership of Dr. Susan Klosterhaus, along with the industry knowledge of the sector leadership team established by Raab to enable and accelerate the innovation and optimization of products in high-impact market sectors, including the built environment, apparel & footwear, cosmetics and personal care, household products, packaging and electronics.

Since joining the Institute as President and CEO in September 2018, Templeton has overseen the creation of the organization’s current strategic plan, and the development and deployment of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard Version 4.0, released earlier this year. The Institute has also experienced significant growth in the number of Cradle to Cradle Certified products and in its community of certification holders. Templeton will depart and Raab will assume her new role on 15 October 2021.

“We highly value Peter’s leadership of the Institute during the past three years,” Bruggeman said. “As a result of his leadership, the Institute is now strongly positioned to advance the scaling of Cradle to Cradle Certified as the global standard for products that are safe, circular and made for a positive future.”

“It has been an honor to serve as the Institute’s President and CEO, and to work with such a passionate and dedicated team,” said Templeton. “I am grateful for the support, collaboration and partnership of our staff, board and community during my tenure. Christina has earned our deepest respect over the past two years, and she is highly regarded for her technical knowledge, market understanding and utmost commitment to our mission. I look forward to continuing to support the Institute and to witnessing the organization’s further success under Christina’s leadership.”

Dr. Christina Raab © 2021 Cradle to Cradle

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

RE&UP contributes to Global Fashion Summit 2026 circularity discussion

RE&UP contributed to the global conversation on textile circularity at Global Fashion Summit 2026 in Copenhagen, where Fatih Konukoğlu, Chairman of RE&UP and Vice Chairman of Sanko Holding, took part in both the keynote session “The New Rules” and the panel discussion “A Reckoning and Renewal for Circular Horizons”, alongside leaders from H&M Group, Looper Textile Co. and Sourcing Journal.

Europe’s textile future at a turning point: New 2030 Circularity Blueprint aims to scale recycling and unlock investment opportunities

The EU textile system is at a critical crossroads. Today, less than 1% of discarded garments are recycled into new garments, despite EU-wide obligations for separate collection. In response, Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) is launching the 2030 Circularity Blueprint, in partnership with ReHubs. This ambitious initiative is designed to support the transformation of the EU textile ecosystem to advance textile-to-textile recycling and drive the transition to a circular economy.

Circulose and CTA announce collaboration to enable lyocell fibers using CIRCULOSE® pulp

Circulose has announced an agreement with China Textile Academy Green Fibre (CTA) to offer lyocell fibers produced using CIRCULOSE® pulp. Producing lyocell from recycled pulp at commercial scale is an important step in making textile-to-textile recycled materials available across a wider range of textile applications.

A new standard to combat plastic waste in forests

With DIN SPEC 35808 “Tree Shelter for Forestry Applications,” the testing and research service provider Hohenstein, in collaboration with Rottenburg University of Forestry, as well as forestry authorities and industry partners, has established a clear framework for bio-based and fully biodegradable tree shelters. The pre-standard defines requirements and practical testing methods designed to reduce plastic waste in forests and strengthen the long-term protection of soil and the environment.

Young talents honoured – 60 years Walter Reiners Foundation

At the Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt at the end of April, Peter D. Dornier, chairman of the VDMA’s Walter Reiners Foundation, presented awards to five successful young engineers. Promotion and sustainability awards were presented in the categories of bachelor’s/project theses and diploma/master’s theses. Academic theses are eligible for the sustainability awards if, for example, they develop solutions for resource-efficient products and technologies.

Regional hemp bast for lightweight construction profiles

The cultivation of fibre hemp for the production of ropes and clothing has a long tradition in Saxony. Due to its excellent fibre properties, it is also suitable as a renewable raw material for reinforcement in fibre composites. At the STFI and IWU in Chemnitz, the CannaPul project is cur- rently investigating how a regional value chain for hemp-based lightweight construction profiles can be established. To this end, the technical processing of hemp fibres into continuous fibre strands and their embedding in a suitable bio-based matrix are being investigated.